Three people were shot dead following a violent altercation at a birthday party in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district, police said on Sunday.
The incident occurred on Saturday night in the Khurja Nagar area, where a celebration was being held at a local gym.
The victims have been identified as Amardeep (30), Manish (28), and Akash (18). According to officials, all three, along with the host Jeetu, were regular visitors to the gym. Authorities confirmed that three accused have been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend others involved.
Station House Officer (SHO) Prem Chand said the exact cause of the dispute remains unclear. However, preliminary findings indicate that an argument broke out during the party among acquaintances, which escalated into gunfire. Jeetu is believed to be among those who opened fire.
Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, Meerut Zone, Bhanu Bhaskar said that on Saturday night, Amardeep, Manish and Akash were present at the gym during the birthday celebration when the altercation turned violent. He confirmed that shots were fired during the clash, leading to the deaths.
Three suspects have been taken into custody, and eight police teams have been deployed to investigate the case. Officials said all possible angles are being examined thoroughly.
On the weapons used, Bhaskar stated that preliminary evidence suggests a .32 bore revolver or pistol, or possibly both, may have been used. This will be confirmed after the postmortem report.
Earlier, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Meerut Range, Kalanidhi Naithani said, "Based on complaints and preliminary accounts, a quarrel had taken place among some youths at a gym. Police teams have reached the spot and are conducting checks in the vicinity".
Police have also detained several individuals for questioning, and officials said strict action will be taken against all those involved.
(With inputs from PTI)